1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate to the transmission and receipt of electromagnetic signals, and in particular to secure radio communications.
2. Related Art and Summary
Soon after the introduction of wireless communication, it was realized that radio messages were vulnerable to interception and deciphering. Transmissions from conventional antennas using standard modulation schemes are vulnerable to eavesdropping.
It might be thought that the issue could in part be addressed by making a very directional antenna, so that the message is sent only in a specific direction. However, exactly the same modulation used to send the message will be present in the side lobes of the antenna and other stray emissions; with a sufficiently sensitive receiver, an eavesdropper can listen in directions different from the main beam. Encryption is a reasonable solution, but it demands that transmitter and receiver have access to the same key, with the attendant security issues that this brings.
Einstein's Special Relativity theory sets an upper bound for the transmission of electromagnetic radiation or matter at the speed of light in a vacuum. Although electromagnetic radiation itself is so constrained, a pattern of electric polarization can travel faster than the speed of light (i.e. superluminally, or supraluminally) by a coordinated motion of the charged particles. Experiments performed at Oxford University and at Los Alamos National Laboratory established that polarization currents can travel faster than the speed of light.
A device configured to produce superluminal polarization currents may include a plurality of pairs or sets of electrodes, with dielectric separating the electrodes of each pair. The superluminal polarization current emits electromagnetic radiation, so that devices can be used as broadcasting antennas. Each set of electrodes and the dielectric between them acts as an antenna element. Since the polarization current radiates, the dielectric between the electrodes acts as a radiator element of the antenna.
According to some aspects, embodiments of the present invention may enable information to be received and understood in a particular direction between a radio transmitter and a receiver operated by a desired recipient. In other directions the information may be scrambled into an incomprehensible form, reducing the possibility of eavesdropping.
According to some aspects, embodiments of the present invention may enable information to be received and understood in a particular direction and at a particular distance between a radio transmitter and a receiver operated by a desired recipient. In other directions and at other distances the information may be scrambled into an incomprehensible form, reducing the possibility of eavesdropping.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an accelerated superluminal polarization currents (ASPC) transceiver includes an ASPC transmitter including a plurality of ASPC radiator elements, the ASPC transmitter transmitting a radio signal that is focused in a target direction and scrambled in other directions; and a radio receiver, wherein the center of a pulse of the polarization-current signal has a transit time tc from an end of the ASPC transmitter, at a first position −x0, to a second position x along the ASPC transmitter given by the following equation:tc=[R2+x02+2Rx0 cos ψ0]1/2−[R2+x2+2Rx cos ψ0]1/2,where R is a target distance from the ASPC transmitter and ψ0 is a target angle.
In variations of the embodiments described below, the plurality of ASPC radiator elements may each include a dielectric element; and a pair of electrodes, one on each side of the dielectric element. The plurality of ASPC radiator elements may each further include a connector for connecting a controller to the pair of electrodes; and wiring between the connector and the pair of electrodes. The plurality of ASPC radiator elements may each further include an insulating support structure housing the pair of electrodes, the dielectric element, the connector, and the wiring.
In other variations of the embodiments described below, application of correctly timed voltages to the connectors of the plurality of ASPC radiator elements may cause a polarization current in the dielectric elements of the plurality of ASPC radiator elements to move superluminally. In the example ASPC transceiver,
      x    +          x      0            t    c  is greater than c, where c is the speed of light. The ASPC transmitter may further transmit the radio signal such that the radio signal is focused at a target distance and scrambled at other distances.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, a radio communication system includes a plurality of accelerated superluminal polarization currents (ASPC) transceivers, wherein each ASPC transceiver of the plurality of ASPC transceivers transmits a radio signal that is received by a target one of the plurality of ASPC transceivers that is in a target direction, and wherein the radio signal is scrambled in directions other than the target direction. Each ASPC transceiver of the plurality of ASPC transceivers may include an ASPC transmitter including a plurality of ASPC radiator elements; and a radio receiver. The plurality of ASPC radiator elements may each include a dielectric element; and a pair of electrodes, one on each side of the dielectric element. The plurality of the ASPC radiator elements may each further include a connector for connecting a controller to the pair of electrodes; and wiring between the connector and the pair of electrodes. The plurality of ASPC radiator elements may each further include an insulating support structure housing the pair of electrodes, the dielectric element, the connector, and the wiring.
In variations of the embodiments described below, application of correctly timed voltages to the connectors of the plurality of ASPC radiator elements may cause a polarization current in the dielectric elements of the plurality of ASPC radiator elements to move superluminally. In the example radio communication system,
      x    +          x      0            t    c  is greater than c, where c is the speed of light.
The ASPC transmitter may transmit the radio signal such that the radio signal is focused at a target distance and scrambled at other distances. The center of a pulse of the radio signal may have a transit time tc from an end of the ASPC transmitter, at a first position −x0, to a second position x along the ASPC transmitter given by the following equation:tc=[R2+x02+2Rx0 cos ψ0]1/2−[R2+x2+2Rx cos ψ0]1/2,where R is a target distance from the ASPC transmitter and ψ0 is a target angle. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method of transmitting a radio signal via an accelerated superluminal polarization currents (ASPC) antenna includes applying, respectively, a plurality of voltages to a plurality of electrodes of the ASPC antenna, the plurality of voltages being applied with a coordinated voltage and timing such that the radio signal is transmitted in a target direction and scrambled in other directions, wherein the center of a pulse of the radio signal has a transit time tc from an end of the antenna, at a first position −x0, to a second position x along the antenna given by the following equation:tc=[R2+x02+2Rx0 cos ψ0]1/2−[R2+x2+2Rx cos ψ0]1/2,where R is a target distance from the ASPC antenna and ψ0 is a target angle. In the example method described below,
      x    +          x      0            t    c  is greater man c, where c is the speed of light. The coordinated voltage and timing may be such that a component of a velocity of a polarization current in the ASPC antenna in the target direction is always the speed of light. The plurality of voltages may vary with position as well as time.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following figures.